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Paper short abstract

Yukio Mishima was greatly inspired by ancient Greece. Shigeichi Kure, a scholar and translator of Greek literature, also inspired Mishima to create wonderful novels. The researcher analyzed the connection between Kure and Mishima and their impact on the reception of western classics in Japan.

Paper long abstract

Western classics have long fascinated and inspired many Japanese writers and artists. In particular, the works of Yukio Mishima (1925–1970), one of Japan’s best postwar writers, strongly reflect the author’s love of Greece. Mishima was greatly inspired by ancient Greece and used ancient Greek literature to create his own written works. For example, Mishima’s Shiosai (The Sound of Waves, 1954) was based on Longus’ Daphnis and Chloe, and Mishima’s Suzakuke no Metsubō (The Fall of Suzaku Family, 1967) was an adaptation of Euripides’ Hercules. Furthermore, Mishima’s masterpiece, Kamen no Kokuhaku (Confessions of a Mask, 1949), included metaphors and expressions related to ancient Greece. Thus, his appreciation for that culture is evident throughout his works. Many translations of his works have been published overseas, so Mishima’s love of Greece is well-known.

However, it may not be well-known that Shigeichi Kure (1897–1977), who was an outstanding Japanese scholar of western classics, had a major influence on Mishima’s love of Greece. Kure was the first president of the Classical Society of Japan which was founded in 1950, and he published many Japanese translations of Greek and Latin works. Kure himself and his translations inspired Mishima to create wonderful novels. For example, Mishima read Kure’s translation of Daphnis and Chloe to create Shiosai.

Moreover, Mishima studied ancient Greek, and Kure was his teacher. Mishima attended Kure’s class at the University of Tokyo to read works of Plato and Aristotle. Although Mishima stopped learning ancient Greek, Kure continued to be a teacher whom he respected. In addition, nearly every time Mishima published a book, he always signed it and sent it to Kure. Mishima and Kure greatly respected each other, and they were not only connected through books, but they also had a personal friendship.

Until now, little attention has been paid to the friendship of Kure and Mishima. Therefore, the researcher analyzed the connection between Kure and Mishima and their impact on the reception of western classics in Japan.